Washing machine including a shipping protection arrangement

ABSTRACT

A washing machine includes an appliance housing having a front housing part and a rear wall, and includes a washing assembly capable, in an operating mode, of oscillating relative to the appliance housing. The washing assembly includes a washing drum and a suds container enclosing the washing drum. A holding device is attached to the suds container. A shipping protection arrangement including a rod is provided for protecting the suds container against shocks. The rod is connected in a force-locking manner to the washing assembly via the suds container and via the holding device. The holding device includes a through-hole for receiving the rod and includes a plurality of openings forming a plurality of connecting links extending from the through-hole to an edge of the holding device so as to permit elastic, semi-elastic, and/or plastic deformations of the holding device for cushioning of impact energy generated from shocks.

Priority is claimed to German patent application DE 10 2005 031 487.2, filed Jul. 4, 2005, the entire subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

The present invention relates to a washing machine having a washing assembly which is capable of oscillating relative to the appliance housing and which includes a washing drum and a suds container enclosing the washing drum and which further is protected against shocks by a shipping protection arrangement formed by at least one rod, said rod, when in the secured position, being fixed in holding receptacles on a front housing part and in further holding receptacles on the rear wall of the appliance housing, the rod being connected in a force-locking manner to the washing assembly in the central region via the suds container by means of at least one holding device, said holding device having a through-hole for receiving the rod.

BACKGROUND

When shipping washing machines, these appliances may happen to fall from relatively great heights on the rear or front feet of the housing. This can happen especially when shipping a plurality of appliances using freight forwarding companies or by rail, because there the appliances are stacked on top of each other for reasons of space and pulled from their elevated position at the top down to the bottom area by only one person. In order to prevent interior damage, especially to the oscillating washing assemblies, during these shipping operations, so-called shipping protection devices are used to immobilize, in particular, the resiliently mounted components inside the washing machine housing for shipment. The actual shipping protection devices are inserted into the interior of the appliance through two openings provided in the rear wall. When in the secured position, the rods are fixed in holding receptacles at the front and rear sides of the appliance housing. In the fixed position, the rods are connected to the suds container in the central region via brackets in a form-locking and/or force-locking manner.

German Patent DE 199 14 370 C2, for example, describes a shipping protection arrangement, which is intended to be used in particular for suds containers made of sheet metal. Another shipping protection arrangement is known from German Patent DE 102 50 494 C1, where, in particular, the holding receptacles for the rods and the receiving brackets are provided with additional cushioning means. These known cushioning means are especially not suited for suds containers made of plastic, because in such containers, the holding device for the shipping protection rod, in particular, is injection molded onto the suds container, so that any shocks transmitted to these plastic suds containers lead to cracks in the suds container wall, which are not immediately detectable and which, therefore, ultimately cause leaks in the suds container wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a washing machine including a shipping protection arrangement which is easy to manufacture and cushions shocks to such an extent that deformations or cracks in the suds container are avoided.

The present invention provides a washing machine including an appliance housing having a front housing part and a rear wall, and a washing assembly capable, in an operating mode, of oscillating relative to the appliance housing. The washing assembly includes a washing drum and a suds container enclosing the washing drum. A holding device is attached to the suds container. A shipping protection arrangement configured to protect the suds container against shocks is provided. The shipping protection arrangement includes a rod. The rod, when in a secured position, is fixed in a first holding receptacle of the front housing part and in a second holding receptacle of the rear wall. The rod is connected in a central region thereof in a force-locking manner to the washing assembly via the suds container and via the holding device. The holding device includes a through-hole for receiving the rod and includes a plurality of openings forming a plurality of connecting links extending from the through-hole to an edge of the holding device so as to permit at least one of elastic, semi-elastic, and plastic deformation of the holding device so as to enable cushioning of impact energy generated from shocks due to the mass inertia of the assembly so as to protect the suds container.

In particular, by making the transmission of forces from the oscillating assembly to the shipping rod less stiff, less force is introduced into the suds container wall and into the shipping rods, because a great part of the impact energy can be absorbed within the holding device. The suds container wall, on which the holding devices are arranged and attached, is thereby reliably protected from large forces in the event of a shock load, thus preventing the formation of cracks or other damage, such as deformations, in the area of the holding devices.

To this end, the present invention proposes, in particular, that the holding devices integrally formed on the suds container allow for cushioning of the impact energy produced in the event of shocks. This is achieved by providing the holding device with openings reducing the material of the holding device at predetermined locations. The connecting links formed by the openings extend from the through-hole to the outer edge of the holding device. Unlike solid material, the connecting links are capable of flexing in response to the application of force, during which process elastic, semi-elastic, or plastic deformation can be tolerated. Thus, the impact energy resulting from a shock due to the mass inertia of the assembly is at least partially absorbed within the holding device, as a result of which the assembly moves relative to the housing in a damped manner and within narrow bounds. Another advantage is that the shipping rod and the rear wall operatively connected thereto, and/or the front housing part, are protected since the force exerted on the shipping rod is also cushioned.

In an advantageous embodiment, the openings in the holding device take the form of through openings. Thus, a so-called predetermined breaking point or predetermined point of flexure is created between the holding device and the eye receiving the shipping rod, said predetermined breaking point or predetermined point of flexure being suitable, in particular, for handling the energy resulting from impact.

In another advantageous embodiment, the openings in the material of the holding device are blind-ended, thus weakening the holding device material at these points. The remaining connecting links form a ribbing, which influences a possible deformation of the holding device.

In one advantageous embodiment, the openings are configured such that the connecting links remaining within the holding device have a curved shape. This makes it possible to provide preferential directions of deformation or particularly elastic regions within the holding device.

In an advantageous embodiment, the openings are in the form of circular bores. Thus, the openings can be made in the holding device at a later time simply by drilling, if necessary.

The outer edge of the holding device advantageously takes the form of a connecting link. Thus, a sturdy connecting zone is provided for the connecting links in order to prevent the holding device from being damaged by tearing off of individual connecting links. The same applies to the edge of the through-hole for the shipping rod.

In order to achieve cost-effective production, it is advantageous to manufacture the holding device from plastic.

Advantageously, the holding device is integrally formed on the container wall as one molded piece. Thus, the solution of the present invention can be implemented in an injection mold for forming the suds container, without affecting costs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a washing machine;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view specifically showing the rear wall area of a washing machine, and indicating the lower portion of the suds container, and further showing the brace for the shipping protection rods, which is located in the front area;

FIG. 3 is an isolated perspective view of a suds container made of plastic and the inventive holding devices integrally formed thereon;

FIG. 4 shows a first embodiment of a holding device;

FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment of a holding device; and

FIG. 6 shows another variant of a holding device for a plastic container.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional overview of a washing machine 1. Housing 2 includes a rear wall 11 and a front housing part 10, said housing part 10 being either a frame element extending along the front or a front wall. Assembly 3, which includes a drum 4 and a suds container 5 enclosing drum 4, is resiliently mounted inside housing 2.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the rear wall area of the appliance housing 2 of a washing machine, in which housing the washing assembly is resiliently mounted. In addition to washing drum 4 shown in FIG. 1, the washing assembly also includes a suds container 5 enclosing washing drum 4, said suds container being sketched here only schematically. Suds container 5 is protected against shocks by shipping protection devices in the form of shipping rods 7. When in the secured position, rods 7 are located in holding receptacles 9 in front housing part 10 and in further holding receptacles 8 in rear wall 11. In their central portion, rods 7 are connected to suds container 5, i.e., to container wall 6, via holding devices 12 in a form-locking and/or force-locking manner. In the front region of the central portion, rod 7 is connected to front bracket 12 a; in the rear region of the central portion, rod 7 is connected to rear bracket 12, in a form-locking and/or force-locking manner. Although the following description refers to a rear bracket or holding device 12, the features are also applicable to the holding devices in the front area.

In the event of shock loads, the impact energy exerted on shipping rods 7 due to the mass inertia of the assembly 3 is thus introduced into the ground via rear wall 11 and front housing part 10. The energy to be removed is sometimes so large that housing 2 deforms in the area of the front holding receptacles 9 or rear holding receptacles 8 for shipping rods 7. Also, shipping rods 7 may deform over nearly their entire length, so that the removal of shipping rods 7 is made more difficult, if not impossible. In order to reduce this unwanted deformation, the intention is to absorb part of the impact energy already in holding device 12 on suds container 5. To this end, holding devices 12 are designed such that they are inherently flexible to allow a certain amount of elastic, semi-elastic or plastic deformation. The flexibility is achieved by providing elastic regions or openings 16 in the material of holding device 12. Openings 16 take the form of through openings.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, which specifically illustrates suds container 5 in an isolated view, the holding device 12 according to the present invention takes the form of a bracket provided for a suds container 5 made of plastic for protection against vibrations or shock loads during shipping. Holding device 12 is designed in such a way that it cushions the shocks occurring on container 5. To this end, holding device 12 is integrally formed on container wall 6. Through-hole 14 for shipping rod 7 is provided in the holding device. In order to make the holding device elastic or semi-elastic, holding device 12 is provided with openings 16, as illustrated in FIG. 4, thereby reducing the material thickness in some regions of holding device 12. The remaining regions, which are not reduced in material thickness, form connecting links 17 extending from edge 15 of through-hole 14 to outer edge 13 of holding device 12. Thus, holding device 12 is weakened in some regions, which allows elastic, semi-elastic, or plastic deformation of holding device 12. Openings 16 are designed such that an edge 15 having the original material thickness remains around through-hole 14. Thus, it is ensured that the shipping rod 7 extending through through-hole 14 is reliably retained, even in the event of shock loads. Outer edge 13 of holding device 12 also has the original material thickness. This provides a sturdy connection of the outwardly extending connecting links 17, while allowing edge 13 to flex.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, openings 16 a are shaped such that curved or wave-shaped connecting links 17 a remain in the material of holding device 12. Thus, a particularly elastic deformation is provided because, when subjected to a load, connecting links 17 a deform further in the direction of their predetermined curvature. Edge 15 of through-hole 14 and outer edge 13 of holding device 12 are designed with a material thickness identical or nearly identical to that of connecting links 17 a.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, holding device 12 is provided with circular or nearly circular bores 16 b. As a result, the remaining material regions form connecting links 17 b, which extend in a grid-like fashion from through-hole 14 to outer edge 13 of holding device 12. Edge 15 of through-hole 14 and outer edge 13 of holding device 12 have the original full material thickness. Making openings 16 b as bores is particularly suitable if the solid material forming the holding device 12 is intended to be weakened at a later time after the injection-molding process. This can easily be done by a subsequent drilling operation.

FIG. 3 further shows that in some regions of holding device 12, openings 16 c in the material are blind-ended. In this embodiment, the remaining connecting links 17 c are formed as ribs out of a wall of holding device 12. This configuration may also extends over the entire holding device 12, thus further increasing the strength of holding device 12.

It can also be seen from FIG. 3 that holding device 12 is integrally molded, preferably from plastic, as one piece and attached to or formed on container wall 6. Thus, the holding device 12 according to the present invention can also be integrated into an injection mold for producing a plastic container 5. No separate mold is needed for this purpose. 

1. A washing machine comprising: an appliance housing including a front housing part and a rear wall; a washing assembly capable, in an operating mode, of oscillating relative to the appliance housing, the washing assembly including a washing drum and a suds container enclosing the washing drum; a holding device attached to the suds container; and a shipping protection arrangement configured to protect the suds container against shocks, the shipping protection arrangement including a rod, the rod, when in a secured position, being fixed in a first holding receptacle of the front housing part and in a second holding receptacle of the rear wall, the rod being connected in a central region thereof in a force-locking manner to the washing assembly via the suds container and via the holding device; wherein the holding device includes a through-hole for receiving the rod and includes a plurality of openings forming a plurality of connecting links extending from the through-hole to an edge of the holding device so as to permit at least one of elastic, semi-elastic, and plastic deformation of the holding device so as to enable cushioning of impact energy generated from shocks due to the mass inertia of the assembly so as to protect the suds container.
 2. The washing machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the openings include through openings.
 3. The washing machine as recited in claim 1 wherein at least a first of the openings is blind-ended, and at least a first of the connecting links formed by other of the openings forms a rib.
 4. The washing machine as recited in claim 3 wherein the at least a first of the connecting links has a curved shape.
 5. The washing machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the openings include substantially circular bores.
 6. The washing machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the edge of the holding device is an outer edge and has substantially a form of a first of the connecting links.
 7. The washing machine as recited in claim 1 wherein an edge of the through-hole has substantially a form of a first of the connecting links.
 8. The washing machine as recited in claim 1 wherein the holding device includes a plastic material.
 9. The washing machine as recited in claim 8 wherein the suds container includes the plastic material, and the holding device is integrally formed on a wall of the suds container as a single molded piece. 